‎Visa row: Nigerian missions continue issuance of 5-year visa to Americans ‎

By Tiamiyu Prudence Arobani
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‎Nigerian missions across the United States have continued issuance of five-year multiple entry visa to Americans.
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‎This is contrary to claims of reciprocity by the U.S.,the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
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‎Checks by NAN at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C and consulates in New York and Atlanta showed Nigerian missions had at no time stopped issuing five-year multiple entry visa to Americans,
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‎NAN’s interactions with some American business executives and tourists who came to pick up their passports at the Nigerian visa centre showed they were issued five-year multiple entry visas.
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‎Interactions with visa applicants who also came to keep interview appointments, showed that Nigerian missions in the United States do not issue three-month single entry visas to Americans.
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‎NAN further reports that the three-month visa is rather a form of “visa on arrival” that allows last-minute travellers without prior visas to urgently travel to Nigeria as is the practice in many countries.
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‎NAN”s findings contradicted recent announcements by U.S. authorities regarding its visa policy adjustments against Nigeria, sparking speculations and public anxiety over a perceived diplomatic spat between the two countries.
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‎Senior Nigerian diplomats across the United States firmly reaffirmed that Nigeria remains fully committed to its historic visa protocols and robust bilateral ties with the U.S.
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‎Speaking to NAN, Amb. Samson Itegboje, Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to the United States, debunked the claim that Nigeria had reduced visa issuance to single-entry three months for Americans.
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‎“There is nothing farther from the truth than the claim that we now issue only three-month single-entry visas to Americans,” Itegboje stated.
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‎“As of Friday, July 11, the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C. was still issuing two, three, and five-year multiple entry visas to Americans,” he said.
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‎Itegboje said Nigeria had directed the full implementation of a new Nigeria-U.S. Bilateral Consular Policy Agreements, with visa reciprocity policy for United States citizens with effect from March 1, 2023.
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‎The agreement included the reciprocity of five-year tourist visa validity for American citizens and extension of visa validity to three years for diplomats and government officials.
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‎“We have not received any directive from Abuja to stop or reverse this,” Itegboje stressed.
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‎“In fact, the United States recently commended Nigeria for keeping with most of the protocols agreed between our two countries.
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‎“Nigeria remains open, generous and respectful of its obligations.
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‎” The robust visa regime is a core part of President Bola Tinubu’s Agenda.
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‎“This is aimed at deepening economic ties, promoting legitimate travel and projecting Nigeria’s global image as Africa’s top destination for trade, investment and cultural exchange,” he added.
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‎Itegboje commended the Nigerian authorities for their constructive dialogue with the United States, stressing that the approach remained open, deliberate and globally aligned.
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‎Checks from the Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York corroborated Itegboje’s position on the five-year multiple entry visa.
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‎The mission had routinely issued two-year visas to first-time American visitors while frequent tourists and business travellers continued to benefit from three and five-year multiple entry visas.
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‎Amb. Abubakar Jidda, Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, reinforced this clarity, dismissing rumours of a policy reversal by Nigeria.
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‎“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja issued a statement referring to reciprocity.
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‎” However, the Presidency, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and that of Interior have all offered clarifications,” Jidda said.
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‎“The Nigerian Government has not taken any decision to stop the issuance of the five-year multiple entry visa that was agreed with the United States of America.
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‎“This issue that the U.S. came up with and in terms of reciprocity, I don’t have a clear explanation for what they are referring to as reciprocity,” he said.
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‎The Nigerian envoy noted that there had been some panic among tourists and business executives who needed visas to travel to Nigeria.
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‎Jidda said the Nigerian government remained unwavering in its commitment to the five-year multiple entry visa arrangement previously agreed with the United States.
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‎He said the gesture “is a clear sign of Nigeria’s investor-friendly posture and enduring commitment to strengthen trade and people-to-people ties.”
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‎“The administration of President Bola Tinubu has not done anything to reverse that five-year multiple entry visa.
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‎“So, at the Consulate of Nigeria in New York , we are still issuing five-year multiple entry visa to U.S. citizens.
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‎“There’s no directive from Abuja to reverse the issuance of the five-year multiple entry visa.
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‎“This is global best practice. Many countries do it. India, for example.
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‎” The e-visa is to support investors and tourists who need to enter Nigeria quickly for genuine business or short stays.
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‎“It complements, not replaces, the multiple entry visa,” the Consul-General stressed
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‎In Atlanta, Amb. Auwalu Namadina, the Consul-General of Nigeria, lent further weight to the unified diplomatic position, affirming that the mission had continued to issue five-year multiple entry visa to Americans.
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‎He told NAN that ” the Presidency has spoken.
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‎” The Foreign Minister and the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have spoken.”
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‎He expressed disappointment over the misinformation and spread of fake news regarding the visa issue.
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‎“So I think that (government’s position) should suffice for the consumption of Nigerians and that’s what we all say, that’s the position of things.
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‎“There is no change. The Federal Government did not send us any message that it (five-year multiple entry visas) should be stopped.
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‎“That (alleged reversal of five-year multiple entry visas to Americans) has not been done and I don’t think they (Nigerian authorities) will do that,” he said.
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‎Consular officers in all the three Nigerian missions in the United States confirmed that the minimum visa category issued to Americans is a two-year multiple entry visa.
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‎They further noted that Nigerian missions had maintained an exceptionally high visa approval rate for tourists and business executives. (NAN)www.nannews.ng
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‎Edited by Mufutau Ojo
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